Chair or the like



Aug. 18, 1959 2,900,013

E. F. HAMILTON CHAIR OR THE LIKE Filed April 19, 1956 INVENTOR. 171,94fflflM/l 70A;

United States Patent 'te CHAIR OR THE LHQE Earl F. Hamilton, Columbus,Ind., assignor to Hamilton Manufacturing Corporation, Columbus, Ind., acorporation of Indiana Application April 19, v1956, Serial No. 579,210

4 Claims. (Cl. 155-196) This application relates to a chair, andespecially to a rocking chair of the type adapted for use by relativelysmall children. It is an object of the invention to produce a chairwhich can be shipped in knocked-down condition, which can readily beassembled, and which, when assembled, will prove sturdy and durable inuse. Another object of the invention is to produce a chair ofknocked-down construction which lends itself to production from metalsheet and tubing and which will have an attractive appearance whenassembled.

The preferred form of chair embodying my invention is characterized by aframe formed of three principal elements, such elements comprising twosimilar side members and a back member. Each side member is desirablyformed of metal tubing and is bent to provide a rocker section, anupright section extending generally vertically from the front end of therocker, and an arm section extending rearwardly from the upper end ofthe upright section. The back member, also desirably formed of metaltubing, is bent into an inverted U-shape. The ends of the back memberare flattened and formed into hooks engageable in slots in the rockersections of the side members, and means are provided for securing therear ends of the arms to intermediate points on the back member afterengagement of the hooks in the slots. The seat is mounted in the framethrough the medium of brackets one of which extends along and is securedto each side of the seat and has end portions received in slots in theside and back members.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment ofthe invention:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the assembled chair;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the assembled chair;

Fig. 3 is a Vertical fore-and-aft section through the chair-seat on theline 3-3 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through the seat on the line 4-4 of Fig.3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmental transverse section through the seat on the line5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a fragmental side elevation, on an enlarged scale, of thejoint between a rocker and the back member, portions of the constructionbeing broken away to show in section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 7 is a front elevational view, also on an enlarged scale, of thejoint between the rocker and back member, portions of the constructionbeing broken away and shown in section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

The chair illustrated in the drawing comprises a pair of similar sidemembers each designated in its entirety by the reference numeral 10.Each side member is desirably formed of a length of metal tubing bent toprovide a base portion or rocker 11, an upright 12 extending upwardlyfrom the front end of the rocker, and an arm 13 extending rearwardlyfrom the upper end of the upright. A back member, designated in itsentirety by the reference numeral 15, desirably comprises a length ofmetal tubing bent into a general U-shape to provide a horizontallyextended intermediate portion 16 and two 2,900,013 Patented Aug. 18,1959 Desirably, the back member is provided with cross members 18 orother support for the back of the occupant of the chair.

At the lower end of each of the vertical portions 17 of the back member,the tubing forming such back member is collapsed as shown in Figs. 6 and7, and the col lapsed portion of the tubing is trimmed into ,a generalhook-like conformation characterized by the presence of a notch 20defining an upwardly projecting finger or bookextremity 21. Each of therockers 11 is provided in its upper face with .a slot for the receptionof a hook 19. The books 19 are desirably formed to open rearwardly sothat, with the back member 15 disposed generally parallel to the rocker11, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. -6, each hook-extremity .21 canbe passed through .the slot in the associated rocker and the back memberthen swung forwardly in a counterclockwisedirection (Fig. 6,) to causethe hook-extremity 21 to move rearwardly within the rocker and upwardlytoward engagement with the inner wall of the rocker. The trimmingincident to the formation .of the hook 19 leaves downwardly presentedshoulders 22 which, in the ultimate relative position of the back memberand rocker, .seat .on the upper surface of the latter.

The rear ends of the arms 13 are adapted for connection to the verticalportions 17 of the back member 15. For this purpose, the rear ends ofthe arms are desirably collapsed, bent downwardly as indicated at 25 inFig. 2, and cambered to fit against the front faces of the uprightportions 17, to which they are secured by bolts 26.

The seat of the chair comprises a sheet-metal seatpan 30 the front andrear edges of which are rolled in wardly to provide stiffening beads 31.Along each side of the pan 30, the metal thereof is bent downwardly toprovide, near the rear of the seat, an ear 32; and, forwardly from suchear, the pan-material is bent to pro vide an inwardly extending flange33 spaced downwardly from the body of the pan. The seat-pan 30 may becovered with upholstering material 35 secured to the pan in anyconvenient manner.

For the purpose of securing the seat in position in the chair-frame, Iemploy brackets 37. Each of such brackets desirably comprises a lengthof metal strip having a central portion which extends along the side ofthe seatpan and is secured thereto by a rivet 38 extending through theear 32 on such pan. The forward end of each bracket 37 may be secured tothe seat-pan by a sheet-metal clip 39 which is riveted to the inner faceof the bracket and provided with a lip 39' embracing the inner edge ofthe flange lip 33 on the seat-pan. The ends of each bracket 37 areoffset outwardly of the seat for reception in slots providedrespectively in the back portions 17 and uprights 12, as shown in Fig.4.

As produced by the manufacturer, the various elements of thechair-namely, the seat-pan 30 with upholstery 35 and brackets 37attached, the two side members 10 and back structure 15-may be arrangedto form a compact package for storage and shipment. To erect the chair,it is necessary merely to engage the side members 10, conveniently oneat a time, with the books on the lower ends of the vertical portions 17of the back structure and to swing the side members relative to the backto bring the ends 25 of the arms into engagement with the verticalportions 17, inserting the ends of the seat-brackets 37 into the slotsin the uprights 12 and vertical portions 17 as the side members and theback structure approach their final relative position. With the ends ofthe seat brackets 37 received in the uprights 12 and vertical portions17 and with the rear ends of the arms in position against said Verticalportions 17, the bolts 26 are applied and tightened to complete theassembly.

:front of said base portion, and an arm extending rearwardly from theupper end of the upright portion, said back structure including a pairof rigidly interconnected,

generally vertical elements, means for connecting said vertical elementsrespectively with the base portions of 'said side members, said meansbeing unreleasable when said back structure is in upright position butreleasable when the back structure is swung rearwardly relative to theside members, the upright portions of the side members being providedwith rearwardly facing openings and the vertical elements of the backstructure being provided with forwardly facing openings, said seathaving projections etxending respectively forwardly and rearwardly forreception in said openings as the back structure is swung into saidupright position; and means for securing the rear ends of said armportions to said vertical elements.

2. In a chair, a seat, a pair of similar side members, and a backstructure, each of said side members being formed of a length of metalstock bent to provide a base portion, an upright portion extendingupwardly from the front of said base portion, and an arm extendingrearwardly from the upper end of the upright portion, said backstructure including a pair of rigidly interconnected, generally verticalelements, means for connecting said vertical element's-respectively withthe base portions of said side members, said means being unreleasablewhen said back structure is in upright position but releasable when theback structure is swung rearwardly relative to the side members, meansfor supporting said seat from said side members and vertical elements,and means for securing the rear ends of said arm portions to saidvertical elements.

3. The invention of claim 2 with the addition that said base portionsare curved to serve as rockers.

4. The invention of claim -2 with the addition that said side membersare formed of tubular stock, said first named means comprisingrearwardly facing hooks on the lower ends of said vertical elements, thebase portions of the side members being provided in their upper surfaceswith slots for the reception of said hooks.

References Cited in the file of this patent V UNITED STATES PATENTSD.118,610 Teague Jan. 16, 1940 430,111 Carl June 17, 1890 458,808 JuddSept. 1, 1891 950,194 Stockwell Feb. 22, 1910 1,694,013 Johnson Dec. 4,1928 2,608,240 Booth Aug. 26, 1952

